1. Field of the invention
The present invention concerns the packaging and dispensing of ingredients that are required to be mixed extemporaneously at the time of first use.
2. Description of the prior art
For a long time two separate bottles were used, a first bottle containing the solvent and a second bottle the substance to be dissolved, in freeze-dried form, for example, or, in the case where both ingredients are liquids, with two separate bottles each containing a liquid.
To prepare the solution, the user opened both bottles, poured the solvent into the second bottle containing the substance to be dissolved and closed the latter before shaking it to promote the process of dissolution or mixing of the two ingredients.
This type of method has numerous disadvantages (handling problems, risk of spilling some of the solvent, risk of contamination so that the preparation is no longer sterile, etc).
There have been numerous experiments with methods for producing a packaging and dispensing system comprising two separate bottles between which communication is provided automatically when they are screwed together. Mention might be made of the following French patents, for example: No. 1 233 412, No. 1 486 502, No. 1 508 658, No. 2 190 094, No. 2 238 644, No. 2 279 378 and No 2 427 960.
In these methods, mixing is achieved by a deliberate action of the user and it cannot really be said that all the disadvantages of previous methods are overcome (risk of contamination of sterile products, risk of loss of some of the ingredients, risk of only one of the ingredients being used and, more generally, difficulties in operating or explaining the method to be adopted).
There have also been proposed packaging and dispensing systems whereby extemporaneous mixing of the ingredients is achieved by a screwing or unscrewing motion. Generally speaking, these methods are based on the presence of a cover closing one bottle that is pushed back by screwing one bottle onto the other, which then establishes communication between the two bottles (in some cases the cover is hinged to the bottle and in others it is unattached). Mention may be made here of French patents No. 2 476 607 and No. 2 506 726, for example, and European patent No. 0 243 730.
These various methods still have disadvantages, however, given the risk of handling errors and the risk of subsequent separation of the chambers of the two bottles.
It is obvious, for example, that the system described in French patent No. 2 506 726 cannot prevent the dispensing of a quantity of unmixed product.
In the case of eyedrop type preparations, it is essential for it to be impossible under any circumstances to dispense a droplet of unmixed product.
There have also been produced systems with two coaxial chambers and a separator plug featuring axial bores into which are inserted, in as fluid-tight a way as possible, a cylindrical portion attached to the lower bottle: thus, when the upper bottle is unscrewed the plug is drawn out until the bores are opened which then enables communication between the two bottles. It has been found that methods of this type are not satisfactory since in practise the seal remains less than perfect and the component parts are of complicated shape which makes them difficult to manufacture by injection molding, especially where systems with large dimensions are required.
Mention should also be made of a solution proposed for glass bottles with two coaxial chambers delimited by a transverse wall in which there is a central orifice, as shown in French patent No. 1 514 479: a flat disk or a cone joined to a cap can close the aforementioned central orifice so that opening the cap enables communication between the two chambers. Solutions of this type concern only packaging for extemporaneous mixing and not dispensing of the mixed product (the field in question is that of laboratory equipment). What is more, the previously mentioned disadvantages (imperfect seal, no protection against violation) are also encountered to which are added the risk of pollution of the upper chamber when filling the lower chamber (which is a major disadvantage in the case of incompatible liquids) and handling difficulties (the difficulty of securing the disk or cone before the cap is applied).
An object of the invention is to provide a packaging and dispensing system offering enhanced performance as compared with the methods outlined hereinabove.
Another object of the invention is to provide a system that can be adapted to the case of two liquid ingredients (wet/wet preparations) and to the case where one of the ingredients is in powder form, especially freeze-dried, in which case the associated bottle is made from glass (wet/dry preparations).
A further object of the invention is to provide a packaging and dispensing system which satisfies in an optimum way the various working hypotheses outlined below:
it is impossible to use one of the two ingredients in non-mixed form; PA1 it is impossible to re-partition the two chambers of the bottles after the opening effected for their first use, unless de-partitioning is automatic on the next use; PA1 automatic mixing of the ingredients is possible by natural gestures: a rational and logical system is required, in particular one avoiding complicated gestures (for example tightening then untightening for use); PA1 easy manipulation in terms of the forces to be applied (especially the unscrewing torque), such forces to be compatible with use by elderly persons; PA1 total inviolability, in respect of both the manufacturer during manufacture and the user, or otherwise proof of opening to be visible externally; PA1 design to be suited to industrialization, both of manufacture (molding, packaging) and of handling on high-speed conveyor systems (continuous production lines). PA1 a first bottle to contain the liquid or solid first ingredient and a plug to close the neck of said first bottle; PA1 a second bottle to contain the liquid second ingredient adapted to be assembled to said first bottle at its neck; PA1 an internal coupling member carried by said second bottle of elongate shape and having one end adapted to be coupled automatically to said plug closing said first bottle when said first and second bottles are assembled together; PA1 a dispensing nozzle carried by said second bottle; and PA1 a cap screwed onto said second bottle and coupled to said internal coupling member in such a way that on said first use unscrewing said cap initially displaces said plug and so automatically establishes the communication between said first and second bottles to enable safe mixing without prejudice to sterile conditions and subsequently uncovers said dispensing nozzle. PA1 depositing a required quantity of a liquid or solid first ingredient in said first bottle; PA1 stopping said first bottle by means of said plug; PA1 depositing a required quantity of a liquid second ingredient in said second bottle while it is upside down with said dispensing nozzle facing downwards and said cap screwed on; and PA1 assembling said first bottle to said second bottle, whereby said coupling of said internal coupling member to said plug is automatically procured.